Lead to Win is brought to you by Leader Box, a monthly reading experience curated by Leaders,

Four Leaders.

Learn more at Leaderbox.com.

On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister did something nobody had ever done. He ran a mile in less than four minutes.

Four minutes had been an unbreakable barrier for decades. A few people had come close, but nobody

ever quite made it.

At the University of Kansas, West Santee had come within a few seconds. An Australian John Landy ran the mile in four minutes two seconds

several times. But he couldn't seem to close the gap. He said two seconds may not sound like much,

but to me it's like trying to break through a brick wall.

The world record had stood at four minutes, one second for nine years.

A lot of people started to think it would never be broken.

Maybe it couldn't be.

Even John Landy said,

someone may achieve the four minute mile the world

is wanting so desperately,

but I don't think I can.

Four laps, four minutes, it just seemed impossible.

So when Roger Banister ran the mile in three minutes, 59.4 seconds, he became an instant celebrity.

His name was known all over the world.

Even today, more than 50 years later, he still considered the greatest track and field athlete of all time.

Well, not really.

Roger Bannister was the world's greatest athlete for exactly 46 days.

...